


Ballad of a Ginger-Haired Man

by Moonlark



Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-06
Updated: 2014-04-06
Packaged: 2018-01-18 10:07:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 978
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1424563
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Moonlark/pseuds/Moonlark
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The story of Paulie and Nealer, told as an epic.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Ballad of a Ginger-Haired Man

Now, this is the story of a man named Paul.

He had red-blond hair and was six feet tall.

He spoke in a voice that was calm and clear,

With Minnesota vowels so pleasant to hear.

His eyes were kind and so was his smile,

And he hoped that he'd be here for a while

Playing hockey for the Penguins in Pittsburgh, PA...

But there's another reason why he wanted to stay.

 

One of his neighbors was James Neal:

A teammate, a friend, and the Real Deal,

A Canadian boy with hair so cute,

Who didn't always know what he was talking aboot.

He had lived with Paul when he'd come to the Pens

(Paulie had the space, and it just made sense).

He didn't go far when at last he moved away,

And he still went there for breakfast almost every day.

 

On a bright and sunny morning, Paulie realized

That his feelings for Nealer had been suddenly revised.

They simply weren't platonic any longer,

And with each passing day, they only got stronger!

This whole thing is a disaster, Paulie thought-

He shouldn't be thinking of his best friend as hot!

But love is love, and desire is desire,

And he was pretty sure he couldn't put out this fire.

 

Paulie really didn't know what to do.

These feelings for Nealer were unfamiliar and new.

He wanted to tell James, every day...

But what if James isn't like him that way?

He decided it was probably best to hide

All his feelings for Nealer. Keep them locked up inside.

Nealer didn't realize that anything had changed,

But someone noticed Paulie acting kind of strange.

 

Flower, the goalie, was crafty and smart,

And he'd seen what everyone had missed since the start.

Paulie and James were meant for each other,

But they didn't know that they loved one another.

It was a fairy tale, certain to come true,

But suddenly, something had thrown it askew.

He should new able to help, Flower knew,

But he wasn't sure how. What should he do?

 

He planned and he plotted in his spare time,

But he knew he would need a partner in crime.

Sid didn't have the necessary stealth,

And Sunshine couldn't even help himself!

Geno would laugh, and Duper would tease,

And Brooksie would say, "Leave me out of this, please."

Then a bright idea came with a spark:

Relationship therapists, Tanger and Marc!

 

Vero, his wife, approved of the plan. 

She said, "You should go and do what you can.

This issue is one that must be addressed—

Someone's gotta get them out of this mess."

Flower and Kris used cunning and guile,

And it really didn't take them a while

To put their devious plan in motion

And begin to unravel these tangled emotions.

 

On a cold winter morning, bright and clear,

Tanger and Marc let James overhear

Them two discussing how, every day,

Poor Paulie was simply pining away!

And how cruel was Nealer to scorn him so—

Never saying yes, never telling him no!

Then the two men left. Their work there was done.

But the game was afoot... it had just begun.

 

Nealer was left there to ponder their words.

It couldn't be true. It was too absurd!

Paulie and him? By heaven above!

It had to be something other than love.

But the more he thought, the less he was sure—

Maybe he was who Paulie would prefer.

It was so surprising and out of the blue,

But James didn't dread it—he wanted it, too.

 

James liked Paulie more than he should,

But he never let himself think that he could

Have a chance at anything with his friend—

There were too many disastrous ways it could end.

But if Paulie loved him, there might be a way

To be with him for day after day.

The possibilities were endless now

If he could make this work—but how?

 

Paulie saw Nealer acting somewhat weird

And wondered if this was what he had feared.

Had Nealer found out about his affection?

Was he planning some big rejection?

Paulie began to quietly freak out. 

He couldn't take all the waiting about!

And soon the whole mess would've erupted

Had Flower and Tanger not interrupted.

 

In a move full of intelligence and guile,

The two conspirators talked for a while

About how Nealer's heart was lonesome and gray

(While Paulie was nearby, hidden away).

Then, full of hope from what he had heard,

Paulie began to consider the absurd:

To tell James how he truly did feel,

And pray to God that this whole thing was real.

 

But before Paulie was able to confess,

James came in, saying, "This is a mess!

I love you, Paulie, and I should've told,

I really do love you, I just wasn't that bold."

And Paulie looked deep into Nealer's wide eyes

And saw there only affection, no lies

And his heart rejoiced. His hopes had come true!

And he whispered back, "I love you too."

 

Then they kissed and they cried and swore they'd never fade,

And then kissed some more, and sweet, sweet love was made.

The whole thing was better than they'd dreamed,

And when they were ready, they told the whole team.

Then Flower and Kris revealed what they'd done,

In the name of the team, in the spirit of fun.

And at an altar Paulie and James did kiss,

And swore themselves into domestic bliss.

 

Two years gone by, and on Paulie's hand,

There's a ring from a Cup and a gold wedding band.

And ever morning he wakes up beside

The man he loves best. He's got nothing to hide.

And he still makes James breakfast almost every day,

And they're still playing hockey in Pittsburgh, PA.

Everything turned out fine and well,

And that's how you love in the NHL.


End file.
